St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-08
Facts and Suspicious Connected With
Yesterdays Fire.
SOME ONE TO BLAME FOR 1T.
The Mortimer Block Fire Discl0ses a
Disgraceful State of
Affairs.

house stood. The big building was
fired at an early hour Sunday morning,
and an hour later was a Smoldering
heap of ruins, as were also several
houses in the neighbour ODD. The burn
ing of the great building has created
something of sensation in MinneapO-
lis, as the fire was undoubtedly of in
cendiary origin, and it is claimed that
the structure was the worst kind of a
fire trap. The fire was first discovered
by DIR. s. Keith, residing at the corner
of Grant street and NicOllet avenue.
He was awakened by the light shining
in his window, and rushing from his
house turned in all alarm. inside of
five minutes the whole building was en-
velOped in flames, and few seconds
later the floors began to fall. In half
an hour the Seven-story walls began to
totter and then fell with crash that
could be heard long distance away.
One Of the walls, the one nearest NicOl-
let avenue, crushed in tWO-StOry frame
residence like an egg shell. Bricks
were thrown half block and crashed
through board walls like bullet going
through single. The fire department
was on hand almost instantly, but Act
ing Chief Runge saw at once that moth
ing could be done to save the building,
so he turned the attention of the depart
ment to protecting the surrounding res
licences. When the walls fell some of
the firemen had a narrow escape, but no
one was injured.
HOW IT STARTED.
The origin OF the fire is unknown, but
is generally supposed to be incendiary,
although there is no direct evidence to
show that such is the case. All sorts of
rumorS were afiOat during the fire and
yesterday, but those that were followed
up were found to be perfectly ground
less. Certain it is. however, that there
were no fires used by the wOrkmen in
the building, and had not been since
Thursday last. Then the wOrkmen had
small fire in the basement to warm
their dinners by, but Mr.. Mortimer, the
owner of the building, ordered them all
out. 1t is claimed that the wOrkmen
had not been paid for some time, and
were feeling somewhat bitter over the
matter Another theory is that some
tramps may have gone into the building
to sleep and accidentally set the build
ing on fire. The superintendent of the
building, l.. Feindel, stated yesterday
afternoon that he had been there late
Saturday evening and had seen no fires.
A gentleman who passed the building
at 8 O'Clock Sunday night saw no sign
of any fire. Assistant Fire Chief Runge
was exceedingly reticent in regard to
the subject, and all that could be got
out of him was the statement that 1.-The
whole thing seemed to go just as if Oil
had been poured all over it, This is the
opinion of all who saw the fire and has
given rise to many strange remarks. 1t
. is known that the affairs of the owner
of the Mortimer building are in very
bad shape. and it is claimed that Mr.
MOrtmer'S visit to Chicago was for the
purpose of securing loan on the build
ing. The expenses incurred in erecting
the building have only been paid in
part, and many of the men holding
claims against Mr.. Mortimer had
intended to file liens on the property.
Only one did SO. however, and his claim
was for over $1,000. The strangeneSS of
the burning was the all-absorbing topic
of conversation, and many even went so
far as to express their belief that the
building was set on fire Intentionally. 1t
was stated by some that Mr.. Mortimer
has lost three other buildings in pre-
ciSely similar manner, and by many
this is considered very suspicious. The
matter will be fully investigated and
interesting developments are expected.
WAS THE BUILDING SAFE?
The suddenness with which the walls
fell when the fire was in progress and
the way in which they fell, has caused
vast amount of talk, and large number
of prominent builders and architects
openly declared that the building was
regular Buddensick affair and had
never been safe. The men who have
seen the building go up were the first to
denOunce it, and there were hundreds
of such men to be found. The building
was seven stories high, and the roof
was not quite completed. The wall up
to the second floor was twenty inches
thick: next three, sixteen inches, and
the three top, twelve inches. 1t is
claimed that this is thicker than re-
quired by law, and that the walls were
nearly as heavy as those required for
business block. Admitting this, the
material used in constructing the walls
were of the poorest material Obtainable,
and was put together in loose, Slip
shod manner, not calculated to render
the building particularly strong. Arch
fleets throughout the city, and the chief
of the fire department, denounced the
building as a fire trap of the worst kind,
and wonder why it did not fall down
before it had chance to
burn up. ''Its good thing it
burned. said one: ''for if it
had caught fire when it was all finished
and full of people it would be impOSsi-
BILE TO tell how many would have been
crushed or burned to DEATH" The SUI
perintendent of the building and Build
ing Inspector Siegman claim that the
building was as fire proof as it could be
made and that wire lathing was used
oil
Mr.. Siegman said: Il have visited and
inspected the building twenty times
since its construction was begun, re-
Gently as often as three times week.
The basement was twenty-eight inches
thick. built of stone; the first story
twenty inches CT brick, the second,
third and fourth. sixteen inches, and the
fifth, sixth and seventh of twelve inches.
The ordinance allows residences to be
built of walls four inches less in thick
ness than business block. This build
ing was trifle heavier than the law re-
quireS. As the building was designed
there was every possible chance to get
ont. The fire escapes would have been
put on as soon as the building was COM
pleted."
y. LOSS AND INSURANCE.
w. o. Long, Mr.. Mortimer's partner
and the contractor, place the loss on
building at 100000. The insurance is
10000, as follows:
With Barnes 4 Co. With Gale d Co.
Springfield -. 81 800 Etna. $1,000
Fireman's Fr'd 1900 Home. ......... 2.5G0
Northern ..... 1900 y. b. d NJ. $500
Traders ....... 1900 Pennsylvania. $500
Union Catalina 5000 Hartford 800. $500
n. Ham pshire. 5,OOOILiberty 1900
Rhode Island. educational. 49,. $500
Union, Pa. 5,OOOiNiagara. $500
American - 5000 American Cen. $500
Mechanics 80. 5000
Western 49, :. 5000 Total .S22, 800
Commercial -. 1900
Grand total. 500, 900
Total -. S67 800
Three frame houses, adjoining the
Mortimer on Mary place, were destroyed,
or partially So The first one was occu-
L.. N, L Sha.liIa md fa Iailsr Tho